26 Ways to Explore the Arts at Smith Mountain Lake

From intimate concerts and theater performances to hands-on workshops and open gallery nights, creativity thrives around every corner.

Art lovers and curious newcomers alike will find ample opportunities to connect with talented local artisans, musicians, actors and craftspeople. So, whether you’re looking to support the arts, dive into a new hobby or simply appreciate the talents of others, Smith Mountain lake offers something for everyone.

Catch live music at one SML’s bars and restaurants, many of which offer lakeside views as well. Visit the detailed monthly event calendars on our website for a schedule.

Become a member/supporter of the Smith Mountain Arts Council. SMAC is dedicated to developing and preserving artistic endeavors around the lake and becoming a member is a no-brainer for anyone who spends appreciable time at SML.

3. Take in a SMAC Coffeehouse or Kaleidoscope Concert

Enjoy an evening of music in a setting so intimate you’ll leave feeling like you’ve been partying with the musicians. Smith Mountain Arts Council coffeehouse-style concerts (usually with snacks, wine and beer for sale) take place quarterly; Kaleidoscope shows usually feature local talent and occur one Friday per month. Bring a potluck hors d’oeuvres to share.

4. Join the SML Photo Club

Meet other photo enthusiasts at a monthly meeting of the SML Photo Club – an arm of SMAC dedicated to supporting local photographers – held the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Moneta Library’s Community Room.

5. Experience the SML Steel Pan Bands

The 2025 holiday concert will take place Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. at Saunders Volunteer Fire Company in Huddleston. Adults are $15 with kids under 10 admitted free. Interested in learning to play steel drums? Leave a note for Pan Daddy Richard Rudolf at questschoolofmusic.com or call 540-427-3860.

If you’re a ukulele player, consider joining the Lakeside Strummers uke ensemble. Contact Dennis Bennhoff (703-927-3718) for details…or just enjoy the group’s music as they perform in conjunction with SML Steel Drum Band concerts.

Take in a performance (or join the production team) of the Lake Players, who present works by both well-known playwrights and local writers 3-4 times per year. Audiences always rave at the achievements of thespians and backstagers who are often their friends and neighbors. Scenery painters, set builders and props people are always needed to support those who groove on being center stage.

Enjoy the annual concert produced by the Lakeside Singers, a large mixed chorus that performs popular and traditional songs in four-part harmony the first weekend in June each year. smithmountainartscouncil.com

Make plans to show your work or attend the SMAC Annual Art Show, a popular exhibition of original artwork in a variety of media and genres that takes place each October. Check the SMAC website in late summer for details on how to submit entries and exact dates of the October contest and exhibition.

Get involved with the Southwest Virginia Songwriters’ Association, a group of musicians with varying backgrounds who meet monthly for socializing and advice on songs in the works. Take a few “notes” and you’ll leave with useful tips on where songwriters get their inspirations and how a new song evolves into audience-ready form.

11. Stop by the John Faber Memorial Photography Contest and Show

Drop into the John Faber Memorial Photography Contest and Show, a popular event held each April that draws casual, amateur and professional photographers from around the region.

12. Enroll in Franklin County’s Junior Appalachian Musicians Program

Enroll a child into (or contribute to a scholarship to) Franklin County’s Junior Appalachian Musicians program, which teaches kids in grades 5-10 traditional mountain and bluegrass music on banjo, fiddle or guitar. Contact Jim Mullens, JAMS Program Director [email protected]), for info on a spring or fall lesson series. Mullens can also share where JAMS students will be performing next. 

13. Enroll your child in SMAC’s Youth Arts Camp

Enroll your child aged 9-14 in SMAC’s late July, weeklong Youth Arts Camp. Youth are offered choices from art, music, photography, acting and writing classes with the goal of exposing children to the various art forms and helping them discover their talents. Check the SMAC website in late winter/early spring for details on each year’s upcoming camp.

14. Book a unique art experience at Hawaii Fluid Art

Try fluid painting, glass painting or create a resin tumbler, beach scene or mosaic frame. Or take home a custom-designed-and-created charcuterie board. For class descriptions, prices and available dates and times, visit smithmountainlake.hawaiifluidart.com

15.  Drop in on Shop At The Nines in Wirtz

Drop in on Shop At The Nines in Wirtz, where an eclectic assortment of artisan glass work, photography, fine art, soap, pottery, jewelry, vintage items and much more is creatively displayed year-round.

16.  Enjoy the annual SML Charity Home Tour

Enjoy the art, artifacts, interior decorating and landscaping of others as you tour eight gorgeous lakefront homes during the annual SML Charity Home Tour.  Held on Columbus Day weekend each year, the event benefits local charities that serve the SML community.

17. Visit Goose Creek Studio

Visit Goose Creek Studio in the heart of Downtown Bedford to browse their gallery and explore custom framing options for your own art treasures. The owners are dedicated to supporting local artists and maintain a mailing list you may want to join.

18. Take in a show at the Harvester Performance Center

This venue in nearby Rocky Mount hosts talented regional and national musicians, typically as one-night stands as they travel up and down the East Coast. You’ll find free parking near the venue, as well as an audience-friendly and up-close environment for enjoying the shows.

19. Enjoy music by the Blue Ridge Harmeneers

Enjoy barbershop chorus music with the Blue Ridge Harmeneers, either as a participant, member of the audience at one of their concerts, or customer of their “Singing Valentines” offering each February.

20. Stitch it up with Lake Quilters Guild

Established in January of 1990 to serve the communities surrounding the lake, the SML chapter is committed to providing quilt-related donations to those in need throughout the community, as well as bringing fellowship and the exchange of ideas to those interested in the art and craft of quilting.

21. Connect with Bedford’s Little Town Players

Connect with Bedford’s Little Town Players to audition for a role in an upcoming play, volunteer for props, costumes or scenery jobs, or purchase tickets for the next delightful production.

22. Make the chips fly with SML Woodturners

Make the chips fly with SML Woodturners, a group of artisans who turn hunks of often exotic wood into lamps, pens, trays, bowls and several things one would never think can be made on a lathe. Through their meetings and events, they promote, demonstrate and teach woodturning skills at all levels.

23. Visit the Bower Center for the Arts

Getting to know the Bower Center for the Arts should be a priority for all who are artistically inclined. Its mission is “to make visual and performing arts available to the region; to become a creative force and an educational resource for the community; and to harness the economic vitality of the arts.” Classes, programs and exhibitions in support of that mission are plentiful.

24. Rent movies filmed at SML

Rent or stream movies filmed at Smith Mountain Lake, including “Lake Effects,” “What About Bob?” and “Princess Cut 3: From Beauty to Ashes.”

25. Visit Art Visions Gallery

Formed a dozen years ago by a group of 13 artists who wanted to be active participants in the local art community, the gallery provides a unique venue for these artists to show and sell their work. See paintings being created; visit with artists and learn about their creative processes.

26. Check out a meeting of the Lake Writers

Check out a meeting of the Lake Writers, the literary branch of Smith Mountain Arts Council. The group includes writers of fiction, nonfiction, drama and poetry. Some are published writers; others are aspiring.

The vision for the Smith Mountain Lake Center continues to gain momentum as organizers refine plans for a community hub that will bring together connection, education and entertainment.

In 2025, more than 40 local residents and community leaders shared their insights during a feasibility study led by a nationally recognized fundraising consultant. The resulting recommendations, now under review by the SML Center Board, will help shape next steps for the project.

Community enthusiasm is already evident. A recent sold-out run of The Addams Family musical — presented in partnership with the Smith Mountain Arts Council and The Willard Companies — drew more than 500 attendees. The success of the production underscored the strong demand for live, locally staged entertainment and the promise of Westlake Cinema as a future performance venue.